The Residential Community: A Setting for Social Work

Residential care was seen as a regrettable necessity in the 1970s, but Howard Jones argues that it should be explored and group work should be based on the regime. The Residential Community covers topics such as regime-planning, staffing, selection, interpersonal relationships, relationships with neighbors, and the rational planning of daily programs. Current controversies in social work, such as the nature of the implicit contract between residents and staff, are also taken up.

Format: Hardback
Length: 150 pages
Publication date: 01 September 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

In the 1970s, residential care was often viewed by social workers as a necessary evil, to be employed only when all other options had been exhausted. Consequently, the significant contribution it made to social well-being went unnoticed, and it remained the Cinderella of social work, receiving inadequate resources, status, and training. However, in his groundbreaking book, originally published in 1979, Howard Jones challenged this negative mindset by posing the question: What role should residential care play in its various forms? He believed that the regime was the key to understanding that role, and group work was the social work method upon which it should be built.

The Residential Community, a comprehensive work, delves into a range of topics relevant to residential care. These include regime-planning, staffing, selection for residential care, the dynamics of interpersonal relationships within the institution, interactions with neighbors and the relatives of inmates, and the rational planning of daily programs to ensure that they go beyond mere pastimes and become active contributors to the realization of institutional aims. Additionally, the book addresses some current controversies in social work, particularly those that pertain to residential care. These include the nature of the implicit contract between residents and staff and the related question of whether residential social workers should strive to "change their clients."

By examining these issues, The Residential Community provides valuable insights into the role of residential care in society and offers practical strategies for improving the quality of care provided to individuals in residential settings. It is a must-read for social workers, policymakers, and anyone interested in understanding the complexities of social work and the importance of residential care in promoting social well-being.

Weight: 440g
Dimension: 216 x 138 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032567518